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sniff the treat. At the same time you must say the word you will use for quiet, such as silent, hush etc. When the dog is quiet (as they will be because dogs cannot sniff and bark at the same time) you can praise him, say good, quiet and give the treat. Again, as with all new tasks, numerous repetitions are necessary for lasting learning. Alternately, distraction or remote punishment devices (see below) can be used to disrupt the barking. One of the most effective means of interrupting barking and ensuring quiet is a remote leash and head halter. A pull on the leash disrupts the dog and closes the mouth, which should also coincide with a verbal command such as quiet or hush. Quiet behavior can then be reinforced first by releasing and then giving a reinforcer such as praise or food if the dog remains quiet. Soon the dog should associate the closed mouth and the word prompt with the absence of noise and begin to stop barking when given the verbal prompt alone. Another practical technique for teaching a dog to cease barking on command is to first teach it to begin barking on cue. Use a stimulus that will cause the dog to bark and pair it with a bark command. Numerous repetitions allow the dog to associate the word bark or speak with the action. Dogs that bark on command can then be taught to turn off the barking by removing the cue or stimulus, and giving a hush or quiet command just before the barking subsides. As soon as your dog is quiet, give a favored treat or reward. It can be difficult or impractical to teach a dog to be quiet on command if the barking cannot be predicted or turned on or if it is too intense.
How can I train my dog to be quiet without having to constantly tell him or her to quiet down?
The key is to reward the behavior that we want (i.e. quiet and settled) rather than to constantly pay attention to the behavior we dont want (barking). Each time you attend to the barking dog, you may be able to quiet it down (as discussed above). However, when you are unsuccessful you may actually be inadvertently rewarding the barking (by giving the dog attention or treats to quiet it down) or may be aggravating the problem with yelling and punishment (which can make the dog more anxious and more likely to bark). The goal of training should be to teach the dog what you want it to do (for rewards) rather than to try and teach it what NOT to do. By providing a daily routine that provides sufficient play, exercise and training, followed by set times where the dog is taught to settle and nap or play with its toys in a bedding area, your dog can be reinforced for quiet times, rather than for play soliciting, attention getting and barking behaviors.
can. Training sessions are then repeated with progressively more intense stimuli. This type of training can be effective, but progress can be slow and time consuming. Pets that are barking for other reasons (fear, separation anxiety, or compulsive disorders) will require treatment for the underlying problem.
Most importantly, bark collars only work when they are on the dog. Most dogs will learn to distinguish when the collar is on and when it is off. When they are not wearing the collar, most dogs will bark.
This client information sheet is based on material written by Debra Horwitz, DVM, Diplomate ACVB & Gary Landsberg, DVM, Diplomate ACVB Copyright 2005 Lifelearn Inc. Used with permission under license. December 28, 2011